There's lots to like in Narcotics Anonymous. The meetings, for one, are great. We get to see our friends, hear some inspiring stories, share some practical experience, maybe even hook up with our sponsor. The campouts, the conventions, the dances are all wonderful, clean fun in the company of other recovering addicts. But the heart of our recovery program is the Twelve Steps-in fact, they are the program!

We've heard it said that we can't stay clean by osmosis-in other words, we can't just attend meetings, no matter how many, and expect to breathe recovery in through the pores of our skin. Recovery, as another saying goes, is an inside job. And the tools we use in working that "inside job" are the Twelve Steps. Hearing endlessly about acceptance is one thing; working the First Step for ourselves is something very different. Stories about making amends may be inspiring, yet nothing will give us the freedom from remorse that taking the Ninth Step ourselves will give. The same applies to all twelve steps.

There's much to appreciate about NA, but to get the most from our recovery we must work the Twelve Steps for ourselves.

There are loads of reasons to keep coming back to NA. The fact that we can't do this alone tops the list for many of us. We need each other. As our Basic Text puts it, "We are each other's eyes and ears." When we share with others in NA, we get to learn from their valuable experience and get their perspective on ours. Their take helps us better understand the past and gives us a new vantage point on what we're doing now. Objectivity is an acquired skill. When we share honestly with our fellow recovering addicts, we can see our behavior more clearly in their reflections. We begin to gain some accountability.

Asking for such insights can make us feel quite vulnerable. One member wrote, "My outsides were suiting up and showing up while my insides remained aloof. 'Undercover isolation' became a way of life. I couldn't find my way out on my own." We find people we can trust and choose to confide in them, returning again and again to those who offer the insights we're seeking. It's what we mean when we tell newcomers to "stick with the winners!" Beyond simple abstinence, we need people who are real with us—and help us get real, too.

When we surround ourselves with people who are living the program, our lives improve. One member shared, "I developed a support system, and that system of support developed me!" We need people to tell us the truth when we can't see it ourselves. Sometimes the clarity starts the minute we begin to open our mouths. "It sounded good in my head," one addict shared, "but before I could even say it out loud to my sponsor, I realized it was total BS!"